Banning Breed Specific Legislation Essay -- Animal Research

Racial profiling had existed since biblical times, and is still present in today’s society. Recently in history we had the tragic terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. It did not take long for the fear of anyone from the Middle East to ripple through America. Wearing a turban in public would get people falsely accused of being a violent terrorist. Over and over again people foolishly stereotype and judge individuals based on their race or appearance. One of the most recent victims of profiling is the pit bull. Simply looking like or being a pit bull gets many loving creatures falsely accused of being violent, uncontrollable monsters. Pit bulls are the major target of legislation that bans or restricts certain types of dogs based solely on appearance and stereotypes. Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is a ban or restriction on certain types of dogs because they are perceived as â€Å"dangerous† breeds or types of dogs. Pit bull type dogs are the major target of such legislation but there are many other breeds targeted as well. The name pit bull is used loosely to categorize many â€Å"bully breeds† of dogs. Several breeds that are often referred to as pit bulls are the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bulldog, Bull Terrier and most commonly, the American Pit Bull Terrier. When statistics on â€Å"pit bulls† are taken, people are actually comparing a group of dogs rather than individual breeds. Several communities have enacted BSL, and many have repealed this legislation because it simply does not work. Topeka, Ks recently reviewed the effectiveness of their breed bans and made the decision to repeal their bans in 2010 (BSL). In the last ten years, over 220 communities have repealed their breed specific la... ...ation and the Pit Bull Terrier: Are the Laws Justified?" DefendingDog.com. N.p., 2006. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. "BSL Locations in Kansas." Understand-A-Bull.com. Pit Bull Rescue Central, 2011. Web. 2 May 2012. "The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Report on Fatal Dog Attacks." Understand-A-Bull.com. Pit Bull Rescue Central, Spring 2005. Web. 28 Apr. 2012. McNeil, Anna. "A New Pit Bull Study." StubbyDog.org. University of Colombia's Animal Welfare Program, 15 Mar. 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. Olsen, Kimberly R, and Julie K Levy. "Pit Bull Identification in Shelters." MaddiesFund.org. University of Florida, 22 July 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. "Prince George’s County: The Most Thorough Assessment of BSL To Date ." StopBSL.org. N.p., 2011. Web. 1 May 2012. "Wins Against Breed Specific Legislation." Understand-A-Bull.com. Pit Bull Rescue Central, 2011. Web. 3 May 2012.